Petrol pump dealers across Maharashtra call off their strike

Petrol and diesel stations all over Mumbai and Maharashtra called off their indefinite strike following an assurance by senior politicians that their demands would be addressed

Nearly 4,000 petrol and diesel pump dealers across Maharashtra have called off their 24-hour strike.

The Federation of All Maharashtra Petrol and Diesel Association (Fampeda) has declared an indefinite strike from August 25 midnight citing the government's refusal to conduct talks regarding reduction in Local Body Tax (LBT) and VAT rates on petrol and diesel.

The Federation had claimed that Rs 5 to Rs 6 per litre could be reduced for both the fuels if the government agreed to address the issue.

They had also alleged that they were taking this step as no action had been taken on the proposal by the government despite negotiations for over six months.

The strike was called off after senior political parties intervened in the matter and assured the Federation that the issue will be resolved.

According to a BJP release, the proposed strike from midnight was called off after mediation by Vinod Tawade, BJP leader and leader of opposition in the state legislative council.

The release added that the decision was taken after Tawade assured leaders of Federation of All Maharashtra Petrol Dealers' Association, including its president Uday Lodha, that Shiv Sena-BJP alliance would positively consider scrapping local body tax and reducing VAT if voted to power in the October assembly election.

According to Lodha, the Maharashtra government did not hold any talks with the Association to avert the strike.